Glass
by Serpent Tailed Angel
Summary: Rated for blood and torture. In a fight, Vaati looses his memories. Link and Zelda are quick to take advantage of this, but Link is also quick to change his mind. At the same time, Ganondorf seems to be up to something... Warining. Contains abuse.
1. Chapter 1

**Story: **Glass

**Genre: **To be decided

**Characters: **Vaati, Link

**Summary:**

"Hylian"  
"_Minish_"  
Non talk.  
Get it?

**Chapter 1**

Link swung his sword. Vaati parried. For every move Link threw at the boy, the Minish child had a defense move that left the young hero with an opening. Link was quick though, and was ready to cover up the openings in his own defense just before Vaati could strike each time.

After a few minutes of this both boys moved back to catch there breaths and analyze each other. Link was ready to go back into combat first, giving him the advantage. Especially because his new strategy was to put all his strength into that one attack, which his enemy wasn't prepared for.

Vaati didn't even have time to widen his eyes before he was hit. He was thrown into the wall by the force, banging his head hard in the process, and slumped down as blood leaked from the wound Link had just created across his torso.

He was unconscious now. Link took a few steps back again and sheathed his sword, he'd finish Vaati off just as he was waking up. The boy would likely have lost too much blood by them to defend himself if he could grab his sword before he was struck again, and it gave Link time to recover all the strength he'd used in his last attack.

Vaati wok up a few minutes later, sooner than Link had anticipated. Link drew his sword again and rushed at Vaati. Vaati looked up at him with wide, terrified eyes, and rolled out of the way at the last second "_What are you doing?_"

Link blinked, taken slightly aback by the words. The nut he'd eaten a year or so back let him communicate with local Minish, but he knew that the dialect Ezlo and Vaati had grown up with was different.

Vaati took this hesitation as his time to escape, running as fast as he could while keeping one of his arms tightly wrapped around the wound Link had created earlier.

Link cursed himself for letting Vaati get away. Now he could see what Vaati had been doing. He'd tried to stall him when he realized he was fighting a loosing battle, so that he could escaped.

Furious that he'd fallen for such a poorly planned trick, Link sheathed his sword and headed toward Hyrule Castle to report to Zelda that he'd failed to defeat Vaati.

XXXXX

Vaati hadn't run far before hiding in behind a small cluster of trees. He whimpered and inspected the wound inflected on his torso "_Ow… How did I get this?_" He frown putting the hand that wasn't bloodied to his chin as the other went to wrap around the bleeding area again "_The last thing I remember is… is…_" His eyes widened "_I don't remember what the last thing I remember is!_"

He felt panic rising, but forced it down "_Okay, calm down. I'll figure out why that boy attacked me later. I need this injury treated first_"

He spotted a town a little ways off "_There's probably someone who can help me there…_" he said to himself "_And maybe they can tell me who I am… and who that boy was too_"

Feeling his spirit lift a little as hope fluttered by, Vaati forced himself up and headed to the down. The blood loss was starting to make him dizzy, but if he got to town then he could get his wound taken care of, then it wouldn't be a problem.

He'd barely walked through the gate when someone spotted him "VAATI!"

Instantly, people rushed into their houses and locked the doors. Guards came rushing to the gate where Vaati was, pointing spears at him "Freeze" one said "You don't look like your in any shape to oppose us. Come along quietly and we might let you live!"

"_What? I… I don't understand what you're saying…_" Vaati took a step back, quivering "_Please, why are you… why are you pointing those at me? I need help!_"

The guard who'd spoken sneered "What sort of gibberish is that? Trying to cast a spell? GET HIM!"

Vaati's mind went blank with terror for a second as the guards rushed at him, he bolted off again, as he had with his fight with Link. The guards were much more persistent though, and he wasn't as fast now that he was running low on blood. Vaati only barely avoided getting caught by them.

As soon as he was sure he'd lost them he fell to his knees and sobbed "_Why is this happening? What did I do? I need help, why is everyone attacking me?_" He looked off in the direction of the village "_N-now what? If… if I can't go there…_" He looked down at his wound "_I __**need**__ to get this treated. Can't they see that? Why is everyone being so mean to me?_"

"What have we here?"

Vaati looked up at the person who'd come to him while he was talking to himself. It was an old lady, harmless looking, but Vaati was frightened all the same "_GET BACK! Don't come near me! No more! Don't come near m… me…_" He passed out.

Syrup bent down to inspect the boy "What a nasty wound" she whispered a spell and pressed her hand over the still bleeding area. The bleeding slowed, then stopped. The wound looked as if it wasn't as deep now.

"I'll leave you here. You don't seem to speak the same language as me anyway…"

XXXXX

"Escaped?" Link flinched. Zelda sounded furious "Link, how could you let him get away when you were that close to defeating him? Now he's still out there, and probably looking for revenge!"

Link looked at his feet "I… I know… but… I'm sorry, Zelda. Something about the way he tried to distract me was just…"

"Inexcusable" Zelda said before leaving Link alone in the guest room of the castle.

Link sighed and went over to the window, looking out it he wondered where Vaati was. He'd probably already healed himself by then. How could he have been so stupid. "Vaati, can you here me? Next time I find you, I **will **kill you"

OXXXXXO

**5th Element:** _Plays dramatic music_ So whaddaya think?


	2. Chapter 2

**.-MX-.Dark Link**-Yay! Someone loves my story... so far.

**TheFireSage**-There's a reason for Zelda's behavior...

**marium-(**_looks up earbashing_) yeah, I guess

**Chapter 2**

"_Oh… where…_" Vaati sat up, putting a hand to his throbbing head, while the other went to his aching and empty stomach "_I'm… alive?_" He looked at the injury that had nearly bled him to death the previous day and was surprised to see how much it had healed "_That's… am I supposed to heal that fast?_"

He shook his head "_Ah… I'm so hungry… and…_" he reached and felt a bump on the back of his head, flinching at how sore that area was "_Did I hit my head there? Hah… Like I'd really know that one. Maybe that's why I don't remember anything_"

He forced himself to stand up "_Ugh… need… food…_" he looked at the town "_but… but I can't go back there. They'll just chase me off again_" He started crying "_Agh! Why is this happening to me? Maybe… maybe there's someone out of that village who I can understand, and who won't attack me. Maybe they'll be nice enough to give me some food_" he said hopefully "_Or… maybe they'll just slice me in two the way everyone else is trying to_" he added bitterly, as if resigning to what seemed to be his fate.

"_Maybe I can at least get them to tell me who I am. I'd like to know why they're chasing me…_" he scowled as his stomach rumbled loudly "_Ah… and maybe while they're telling me before they chase me off I can sneak something to eat_"

Standing up, Vaati swayed a little before heading of in search of a home outside the village where he might be welcome.

XXXXX

"He showed up here? Really?" Link couldn't contain the excitement in his voice.

"But he got away" the guard muttered "For a kid with a cut across his stomach, he ran pretty fast. Looked scared half to death too, it almost made me feel guilty about chasing him. Didn't know he spoke a second language. Who taught him something other than Hylian?"

"I think Hylian's his second language" Link said "If you could tell me which way he went, that would really be a huge help, Remo"

The guard, Remo, nodded.

He led Link through the northern fields and into the woods "This is where we lost him. By now he might have teleported, but…" he pointed to a almost invisible trail of blood "That may lead you to him"

"Thank you" Remo nodded and left.

Link followed the line of red dots to a puddle of blood drying on the forest floor "He had to make a mess while he bled" Link looked around "I don't see him here anymore, though"

"Oh, are you looking for a friend of yours?"

"Not exac-Syrup!" Link smiled up at the old witch "This is great, you can help me!"

"With what" Syrup asked

"A criminal named Vaati passed through here very recently. Could you find him with magic?"

"Describe him"

"Well, he's kind of small… and really pale, with purple-ish hair and red eyes. And he wears dark clothes"

"That boy? He came by here last night. Are you sure he's a criminal. Most of those that I know don't sob and let themselves bleed to death"

"He died?"

"Goodness, no!" Syrup looked shocked that Lin would suggest something "I couldn't leave him like that! I healed the wound enough for it to stop bleeding so badly and let him go. Poor boy didn't seem to even speak the same language as me though. Are you sure he's evil?"

"Positive. Do you know which way he went?"

Syurp nodded and pointed east "He headed that way. Good luck then"

Link nodded and ran in the direction he'd been given.

XXXXX

"_STOP IT!_" Vaati cried as he ran. The man who'd owned whatever house he stumbled upon had yet to give up chasing him. Vaati turned sharply and ran into the forest. He never saw Link before crashing into the hero and both of them tumbled down a hill.

Vaati sat up first, nursing his throbbing head, which was still sore from being banged against the wall. Not that he remembered that.

He looked up to make sure the man had stopped chasing him before Link suddenly pinned him down "I found you!" Link said "You really put up a chase, but I've got you now!"

Link sat onto of Vaati's injured torso, causing the boy to cringe, as he drew his sword and held it over Vaati's help.

Vaati's eyes widened "_No. Stop. Please, stop!_" he started to cry "_What did I do? Why are you trying to kill me? At least… at least tell me who I am before you do! I… I don't want to die not knowing who I am!_"

Link raised an eyebrow. Vaati crying was a very interesting sight, but it meant nothing, not when he couldn't understand a word that came out of the boys mouth "If you're trying to beg for mercy, you'd better do it in my language"

"_What? You… I don't know what you're saying. Please, please, please don't kill me_"

"LINK!" Link and Vaati both looked to see Zelda running up "Link, did you catch him?"

"Why were you following me?"

"You caught him! Hurry, kill him before he can get away again!"

"That's what I was going to do!" Link complained

"_Get of me_" Vaati started crying harder "_It hurts. Your making my stomach hurt more. I… I hate you. You're going to… to kill me without telling me who I am. Why are you killing me? What did I do to you?_"

Zelda raised an eyebrow "He's trying to distract you with the Minish language again?"

"I don't think so. He won't speak anything but it. I don't get a word he's said. And he spoke up long enough ago that it wouldn't surprise me anymore"

Zelda frown and put a finger against Vaati forehead and whispered a spell softly then stood up "_You know you're going to die, right?_"

Vaati nodded, but his face lit up "_I understand you. Please, tell me who I am_"

Zelda blink "He wants me to tell him who he is"

"What?"

"_What do you mean, tell you? You're acting can only get you out of death so many times. Were not letting you go after the stunt you pulled yesterday if that's what you're after_"

"_No. I… I just want to know who I am. If you tell me… please… I won't run away again if you tell me_" Vaati promised "_I want to know. Even if all you can tell me is my name_"

Zelda scowled and turned to Link "Did anything happen to him during your fight? I think he has amnesia"

"Well… he did hit his head when he flew into the wall…"

"That's it. Don't kill him now. Take him back to the castle"

Link nodded and grabbed Vaati's arm before climbing off him. He yanked Vaati up and grabbed his other arm, forcing both behind the boys back "_Ah! Ow! Stop that… if you're going to kill me couldn't you do it in a little less painful way?_" Vaati asked "_Just do it quickly, that __**hurts**__!_"

"Shut up" Link kicked Vaati's back, getting a whimper from his captive "So, Zelda, think he remembers any spells?"

"There's no way he can remember a spell if he forgot his name (you actually need to use your name when casting most spells). I was sure that we'd have to execute him right away. But if we don't need to worry about him escaping we can leave him in the dungeon for a while. High treason has huge penalties. It looks like he won't avoid most of them after all"

Link sighed. Hyrule was a nice place over all. He didn't understand why it had torture methods like the ones at the castle. And Zelda usually opposed to them too. She was usually so sweet. In fact, she'd only gone sour when she heard about Vaati escaping the previous day. He wasn't to pleased with it, but he couldn't quite disobey the royal families orders.

Link almost wondered if Zelda and Vaati had completely swapped personalities when the Minish boy hit his head. Though it seemed natural for someone to be scared silly and crying their heads off when they had no memories, couldn't speak the same language as everyone else, and were constantly running from people trying to kill them for reasons they couldn't remember.

"_W-where am I going?_" Vaati asked as Link forced him forward "_Ow! Stop!_"

"_Stop whining_" Zelda snapped at the wind mage "_Or I'll reopen that wound in your stomach and you can bleed for the rest of the trip_"

Vaati hung his head and remained silent until Link brought him into the castle. It wasn't until he was being brought down to the dungeon that Link noticed how badly his captive was trembling. He felt bad. Fighting Vaati when he was at full power and causing his own brand of trouble was one thing, but condemning a memory free Vaati who couldn't communicate with anyone but the girl who was playing worlds bitchiest princess to months of torture before an agonizing death was a whole nother.

Sighing one last time, Link shoved Vaati into his cell. Torture was bad, but he could take a **little** revenge on the guy while he couldn't fight back.

Vaati got up and turned around just in time to see the door get locked behind him. His eyes widened in fear, he rushed the bars "_NO! Let me out! Please!_"

Link looked away. Zelda scowled "_Let trash like you roam free? I don't want Hyrule to be polluted. Forget it_"

Vaati felt any hopes he might have had since he woke up with no memories deteriorate into nothing. He looked around the cell. It was cold and dark, feeling as hopeless as he was. It seemed to be completely separated from the rest of the basement/dungeon.

He shivered and looked around for a bed. The small room was completely empty. Not even a paper thin sheet to wrap himself up in.

"_Wait!_" he called up the stairs he'd seen Link and Zelda exit out of "_No, come back! Please!_" No response.

Vaati wanted to cry, but by this point he'd used up all his tears. He crawled over to the corner and huddled up in a ball "_What did I do?_"

OXXXXXO

**Rune Caster**: What's wrong with Zelda? And am I cruel to poor little Vaati or what?


	3. Chapter 3

**marium**-Oh, you think _that's_ cruel? Sweety, I rated this story T... for torture (and blood). MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

**Jane O'Callaghan**-It'd take more then coffee to fix her up...

**Chapter 3**

"_Please_" Vaati begged "_I haven't eaten for several days. How much longer will I have to go without food?_"

"_You're right_" Zelda said "_You must be starved. I'll see to it that one of the cooks has something made for you, and Link will bring you your meal_" She turned and left.

Vaati wanted to be happy that he was finally being fed, but he was sure there was a catch (seeing as all the water they gave him was mucky)

He sat in the cold for a little while before Link came down with a tray of food. It was a piece of bread and a slice of meat. But they both looked like they sat in a dark puddle of water for the past ten years. They smelled nasty and were almost completely green.

Just the thought of eating it made Vaati feel sick.

Link set the tray down and ran back upstairs, past Zelda who smirked as she watched Vaati turn green himself staring at the food. Even from a good distance away she could hear his stomach growl though. He was too hungry to ignore the meal much longer, no matter how disgusting it was.

Finally Vaati did break. He crawled over to the food and-very hesitantly-began to eat the bread. Zelda was trying her hardest not to burst out laughing as she watched his various expressions while he tried to chew the stale, moldy, no longer edible bread. Eventually, Vaati managed to swallow the substance. He didn't touch the meat though. That had begun to decompose.

Zelda came all the way down the stairs a minute later.

Vaati looked up at her with teary eyes "_I feel awful_"

"_That's the point_"

"_What did I do to deserve this? I think I ought to at least know that_"

Zelda ignored Vaati's please, once again, for a small bit of info on his past and gazed at his stomach, which he'd tightly wrapped his arms around "_Was the bread really that bad?_"

"_Yes_"

"_Then eat the meat_" Vaati looked horrified by this suggestion "_Eat the meat, and I'll tell you why you're locked up_"

Vaati still looked disgusted, but that was something he couldn't pass up. He picked up the green meat and forced himself to eat it.

"_Aren't you determined?_ You're here because you turned me into a statue, almost destroyed my country, then tried to kill my friend multiple times"

Vaati blinked "_I don't understand you when you speak like that_"

"_That's too bad. Well, I just told you why you're here but it's a shame you and I don't speak the same language_"

"_WHAT?_"

Zelda just smirked and left. She heard the sound of vomiting as she walked up the stairs.

XXXXX

"Zelda, if we're executing Vaati we should probably do it soon. There's no telling when his memories will come back"

"Nonsense. I placed a spell on him so that I'll know his memories are returning five days before hand"

Link sighed and looked back at the scene. Vaati was sobbing and shaking uncontrollably as he was whipped over and over. He was much to thin. Link doubted he got any nutrients that may have been in the moldy food he was fed. He turned away again as Vaati screamed, and this time he didn't look back.

Finally it all ended. The man with the whip left, following Zelda out. Link watched them go before hurrying over to Vaati "Are you okay?" Vaati was pushing himself up off the ground. Link reached out to pull him up.

"_Don't…_" Vaati slapped the hand away "_DON'T TOUCH ME!_" He screamed. The sudden adrenaline rush that came to him gave him the strength to push himself up and stand in front of Link "_You filthy-you did this! This is your fault! You're the one who dragged me into this hell! Don't you __**dare**__ touch me!_"

Link was at a loss for what to do. He couldn't understand what the boy was saying, but he was clearly angry. "I-I'm not going to hurt you" it felt weird to say this to his enemy "I promise. Let me help. You're in no shape to return to your cell like that"

He took a step forward, Vaati took a step back "_Don't get near me!_" he hissed.

Link reached out and grabbed his arms. Vaati screamed as he was pulled toward Link "_LET GO! LET GO OF ME!_"

"LISTEN!" Link yelled, forgetting Vaati couldn't remember Hylian "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm trying to help! What's wrong with you?"

Vaati manage to push himself away from Link and turned to run, but his legs gave out underneath him after taking only a few steps.

Link stormed up to Vaati, ready to teach the boy what real hell was like. But Vaati was trembling. This time he didn't bother to resist as Link reached out. Touching the boy's cheek, Link felt liquid run over his hands. He couldn't tell if it was tears or blood. A quick survey revealed that it was both.

Vaati felt horrible. He was starved half to death. All the food they gave him was so nasty he couldn't keep it down, and he no longer tried. He was pretty sure he was ill because he felt cold all the time, but maybe that was just because they left him in the cold. And he was now bleeding from his most recent beating.

When he'd been captured three weeks ago (though he was sure it had been longer) Vaati had hoped he'd be found innocent of whatever his crime was, or that he'd only be imprisoned for a short time, and he'd desperately hoped that someone, a family member or friend, would come and beg for his freedom. It would mean getting out **and **having found someone who could tell him who he was. He'd lost all hope though. All he could do was wait for his execution.

Link was about to help Vaati up and sneak him out, saying he escaped. But before he could do anything the man who'd whipped him came back in and grabbed the boy, dragging him off.

He heard Vaati screaming a minute later. After three weeks he'd learned only a few Minish words. 'Stop' 'No' and 'Please'. They seemed to be the ones he used the most, and always together.

Link sighed and trudged back to his room.

OXXXXXO

Rune Caster: Okays. So, disregarding all the horrible things I've just done to poor ickle Vaati, I need help. I have absolutly **no idea** what to call the sequel to COD. I refuse to release info on the story at the current time, but any suggjestions would work. Even you, Lenee, though I doubt you're reading this cuzz you were smart and read it all on the site where I have more chapters posted.

...

Ha... I'm talking to people I know aren't paying atention... heh... heh... erf...


	4. Chapter 4

**. . .**-Technically since you're an anonymous reviewer you can't prove you've reviewed before. Here's your first tidbit of info on the sequel, it's set a little less than month after CoD. And, the is a plot related reason for Zelda's attitude. Sorry, she'll become a wittle sweet heart at some point... I think. The plot changes a bit from how I want it too from time to time. CoD was originally supposed to be a majorly angsty story where after escapaing Ganondorf Vaati lives with Dark Link who betrays him to Ganondorf and blah blah blah.

**marium**-Never read Darren Shan.

**TwistingBlackRoses**-Oh you have to be (_censored_) kidding me. You're the second person to accuse me of discontinueing a story I updated in the past seven days. I never finished this cuzz I just started it. Thanks for calling me a good writer though.

**.-MX-.Dark Link**-Nintendo could make a whole game where you have to save Vaati from the evil princess Zelda (_laughing at her own sarcasm_)

**Azure-Link**-i don't fee sorry for him. I do feel sorry for him though.

**Chapter 4**

Vaati was curled up in the far corner of his cell, sobbing into his hands.

He heard footsteps from the stairs that led to his room, but didn't bother to see who it was.

As Link came up to Vaati's cell he wondered if the boy was dead. He was so motionless. He came up and grabbed Vaati's arm, earning a whimper from the boy, so at least he was alive. Link pulled him up and lifted him into his arms. He felt Vaati cringe "_No! No more! I can't take any more of it!_"

"Shush" Link covered Vaati's mouth with his hand. Vaati screamed, though it was muffled and barely audible, and thrashed in Link's grasp.

Link tightened his grip on Vaati. Shortly after first seeing the torture Vaati was put through Link had left the castle and went back home with his grandfather. He wasn't completely sure, but he had a good idea of why Vaati was so terrified "I won't hurt you" Link said softly, even though he knew Vaati didn't understand him "I'm getting you out of here. I'm sorry I didn't come sooner"

Vaati whimpered "_What do you want with me? I was already beaten today. Leave me alone!_"

Link sighed and began carrying Vaati up the stairs and out of the dungeon.

Vaati was tense, but was beginning to think clearer. He couldn't tell why he was being brought up but he doubted he was about to be beaten. Normally, when he was brought up for torture the man dragging him up had a tight grip, but unlike that man this boy wasn't tightened to the point where he felt his life was being squeezed out. His grip was lighter, like he was trying not to hurt him.

Slowly, Vaati began to relax into Link's arms, figuring that he was probably about to finally be executed.

Link was surprised when he felt Vaati relax. He looked down and swore that the Minish child had fallen asleep. Vaati was so tiny, and maybe it was just because of his amnesia, but he didn't seem completely evil. How could he have ever been a high time criminal. He was only a kid, just like him and Zelda.

Vaati's eyes snapped open as he felt wind rush past him. He could no longer smell the smoke from the torches that were all around the castle. Instead he smelled trees and fresh cut grass.

Link saw Vaati's expression lighten a little. After walking a ways away from the castle, Link uncovered Vaati's mouth.

"_Are you letting me go?_" Vaati asked the instant Link removed his hand.

Link blinked "I'm sorry. I don't understand you"

Vaati sighed "_Oh great. So that evil girl __**is**__ the only person who I can speak to_" He reached out and placed a hand on Link's cheek "_But I won't have to see her again, right?_"

Link took a guess at what Vaati was saying and nodded. Vaati smiled and moved his hand away.

The two were silent for the rest of the trip to Link's house. When Link entered the house Smith ran right up to him. "He does look awful" Smith said "do you think he'll survive? He **did** lose his memories, right? He's safe for now?"

"It's perfectly safe for us to keep him here" Link said

"Good. Give him a bath. He looks like he needs it" Link nodded, setting Vaati down and taking his boots off. Smith helped to boy stand, and noticed his temperature "it might help with his fever too" Smith added.

"Yes, Grandpa"

Link carried Vaati into the bathroom and took his tattered clothes off. Vaati sat on the bathroom floor while Link filled the tub. Vaati was starting to creep him out, though. Something about his expression gave his eyes a blank look, but he kept a sort of false gaze on Link.

Finally the tub was filled with warm water. Link dumped a bucket of water on Vaati first so that most of the filth covering him would fall off. Then he picked him up and set him in the tub. The bathroom was set up with a giant drain in the floor for just that sort of thing.

Vaati looked comfortable in the warm water. He couldn't have been happier. He was now sure that, not only was he not about to die, he was actually being treated kindly. After five weeks-though it felt like a hekuva lot more-someone was finally being nice to him. He was warm for the first time in over a month.

Link was careful while he washed Vaati. He had to scrub hard to remove some of the dried blood and dirt, but he was careful not to hurt Vaati. He knew how painfully sensitive someone's skin could be after going through all the torture that Vaati did.

The blank look was really bothering him though. Something about the look in his eyes just seemed dead. Dead eyes…

Then it hit Link. He'd met a man once who was blind in one eye. One of his eyes had been the brightest green. And the other eye was paler, like bleach had been run over it and there was no life in the eye. Not like the person had given up, just like the eye was dead. That's how both Vaati's eyes looked.

Vaati was blind.

XXXXX

Vaati sat on Link's bed, dressed in a spare pair of pajamas Link had. The clothes were a size to large on him and the neck hole kept slipping over so that is neck and one of his shoulder were coming out of it.

Link wandered around the room and watched Vaati's unseeing eyes follow him. He'd spent a good deal of time figuring out how Vaati did it before noticing the way Vaati's ears seemed to twitch with every step he took. The Minish was listening to figure out where he was. He'd been walking with lighter and lighter steps, testing Vaati's hearing. He didn't think he was making any noise, but the paler boy could still here it.

Smith came up, clomping loudly along the ground, and Vaati seemed to struggle to figure out where Link was. He gave up and looked at Smith instead.

"Grandpa, he's blind"

"I noticed"

"He's figuring out where we are by listening for footsteps"

"He wouldn't have much else to go by"

"Well, I don't think I'm making much sound, but he can still tell"

"Don't step softly" Smith scolded "If we're keeping him here, give him some means to find us"

"But how can he hear?"

"When one of the five senses fails the others become more acute. He probably has a better sense of smell now, too"

"Oh" Link stopped trying to muffle his steps and went over to the spare bed Smith had pulled out while he was bathing Vaati. They'd decided that it was best to give Vaati the better bed, until he was recovered.

Smith set down a plate of food next to Vaati, as well as one for Link. "You two missed dinner, eat up"

Vaati eagerly bit into the food. Link watched him. He hadn't been given any utensils, probably because A: he couldn't see them and B: he probably didn't remember how to use them.

Link ate slower, not having five weeks of slowly building hunger nagging at him. Vaati hadn't died of starvation. He must have been able to keep down a small amount of food while he was imprisoned.

Once he finished eating Link went to bed. Vaati fell asleep too, wrapped tightly in the sheets he'd been given. Smith went back downstairs to work on finishing a sword for the upcoming Picori festival.

OXXXXXO

Rune Caster: Howdy ya'll. I'm going to visit my grandparents for _counts on fingers_ four days so chapter updates won't be as freakishly frequent. It was bound to happen sooner or later. The reason I've been updating so fast is cuzz chapters 1-9 were already written before I started posting this. Once I got to that point updates would really slow down.


	5. Chapter 5

**marium**-Not much, actually

**Azure-Link**-Yup, Link being a good guy is a good thing.

**Fiddle Tia-**Ha, you said "'tude"

**Chapter 5**

Link watched Vaati wander around the ground floor. It had been almost a week since he'd broken Vaati out and today was the first day he'd had the strength to wander around on his own.

Vaati felt the walls with one hand, the other searched for any furniture that might be in his way. Smith would warn him with a quick "STOP" if Vaati failed to find a piece of furniture and was about to walk into it. It had taken a couple accidents for Vaati to figure out what the warning meant.

After a while, Vaati felt around a little less. He was learning where everything was.

Link headed toward the kitchen to help with breakfast when Vaati bumped into him. He quickly shoved himself away, blushing "_Sorry!_"

Link grinned and pulled Vaati closer. Vaati yelped, but quickly snuggled into Link's embrace. "You're cute when you don't remember anything"

"Link" Smith stuck his head out of the kitchen door "Come here and help me with breakfast!"

"Coming" Link released Vaati and hurried over to the kitchen. Vaati stood their confused. After a minute he went back to figuring out where everything was.

When Link came back out he rushed to him "_Mister, I want to learn your language_"

"I… don't know what you're saying"

"_Please teach me. I want to be able to speak with you_"

"Come on. Breakfast is ready"

Vaati nodded. 'Breakfast' was a word he'd learned. It was what they called the meal they had every morning when they woke up.

He felt happy. He was no longer horribly confused or in pain. He still didn't know who he was, and due to the lack of communication he had yet to learn his name. But for now, he wasn't about to be harmed, and that was enough for him.

XXXXX

"L… Link"

"Good"

Vaati pointed to Smith "Link?"

"No" Link shook is head. A universal symbol, which Vaati knew took place because of a hand of Links cheek "Smith"

"Smith" Vaati repeated, the pointed back at Link "Link' Link nodded. Then Vaati pointed at himself "Who?"

"Vaati"

"Vaati" Vaati repeated. A grin spreading across his face. So **that** was his name.

Link placed a plate in his hand. Vaati felt it for a second "Plate?" Link nodded, and took the plate away before placing a towel in Vaati's hand "R…rug?

Link shook his head "Towel" He took the towel away and put Vaati's hand on the floor "Rug" then placed his hand on a different section of floor "wood"

Vaati was nodding, to show that he understood, when someone knocked on the front door. Smith rushed Vaati upstairs while Link ran to answer the door.

Outside was an enraged Zelda "Link, why haven't you been helping us search for Vaati?"

"To be honest, I don't think he's still in the country" Link said solemnly "If he's not in the borders then we can't do anything about him"

Just at the bottom of the stairs, to high to be seen but low enough to hear, Vaati sat and listened, He listened more closely to conversation now then to footsteps. He wanted to learn to speak the same language as everyone else.

"What if he **is** still in the country? And he still isn't going to recover his memories soon, so he's helpless when it comes to communicating. On top of that we cut his eyes so that he couldn't see. There's no way he could have escaped alone. Why not help us find the person who broke him out?"

"Like we know who that is" Link said bitterly acting disappointed about this lie "It could have been anyone"

Zelda nodded "I know. I've arrested everyone who knew he was there and put them under strict interrogation, but we've had no results so far. Come** on**, Link, I'm your best friend. Can't you help me?"

Link held his breath "I'm sorry. The Picori Festival is tomorrow and I promised Grandpa I'd help him put the finishing touches on the sword. And I don't want to miss the festival tomorrow. Vaati's blind now, right? What harm could he be?"

"Plenty! Once he gets his memories back he'll know all his spells. He'll know how to heal himself and he'll want to get us back!"

"Then maybe you shouldn't have done all that in the first place!" Link yelled, loosing his temper "Maybe you shouldn't have arrested a frightened amnesiac, locked him in a bloody prison, and laughed at every single little pain you put him through! Maybe you shouldn't have gotten such pleasure out of every little scream that escaped his lips! Maybe you shouldn't have suddenly become the biggest bitch in the world and decided to be a sadist!"

Zelda narrowed her eyes before turning and storming off.

Link shut the door and counted to ten before heading over to the stairs "It's safe to come out now"

Smith helped Vaati down the stairs before the two continued the blind child's lesson.

OXXXXXO

**Rune Caster**: updating from my grandparents computer. supposed to be grounded from electronics 'till July 22 for not doing dishes for the third time in two days. Dad's a loser. Forgot punishment already. Bye


	6. Chapter 6

**Azure-Link**-Oui, et merci!

**Jane O'Callaghan**-Yeah... his memories... heh... and about the dishes thing, my dad just gets really irrational when he's mad. My little brother had to go a week without computer if he didn't finish his dinner once (**that** made him eat!)

**marium**-cough

**Chapter 6**

"Stay inside!"

"No!" Vaati pouted.

"Vaati, you don't understand" Smith tried to explain "You're wanted. If anyone finds you you'll go back to the dungeon where you were tortured. On top of that, the outdoors isn't like inside where the ground is flat and there's a wall for you to walk along to know where you are. You're wanted. And you could hurt yourself"

"Why?" Vaati asked innocently

"You can't see"

"Why?" Vaati asked again

"Because your eyes are damaged" Link said

"Why am I wanted?" Vaati clarified.

"Well" Link sighed. He'd actually preferred Vaati before he relearned Hylian. It had only taken about a week. Having known the language before was apparently a huge help "You did… some bad thing a while back"

"Like what?"

"You… attacked the castle"

"Why did I do that?" Vaati started rocking back and forth in his seat.

"You're the only one who knows… or did know. It's a mystery to everyone now"

Vaati scowled. Not at all pleased with this response. It seemed to him like he was a pretty closed person. Link and Smith claimed to be some of the most informed people on him in the country, but didn't know a lot.

"Did I **deserve** what I got, then?" Vaati asked, trying to put the two in an awkward place. It would serve them right for not letting him go outside. How dangerous could it be? He'd been there before he was blinded.

There was quite a bit of stuttering before Link finally said "That's an opinion"

"But you think I deserved it, right?" Vaati asked "That's **your **opinion. You're the one who attacked me when I woke up, and who brought me there in the first place, right? I recognize your voice"

Link shook his head, though Vaati couldn't tell "I didn't know then that you… that you were an amnesiac"

Vaati's scowl deepened. He hated being called that "So the only reason you got me out of there is because I hit my head?"

Link sighed "Actually, **I** hit your head"

"But you knew by the time you forced me down into that place!"

"I was given orders. I had no choice"

"So you got permission to get me out?" Vaati asked, standing up and feeling for the wall.

"No. I decided to go against my orders"

"I don't think you should be telling him all this" Smith said

"He has a right to know" Link argued.

While the two continued to bicker Vaati found his way to the door and snuck outside.

He loved feeling wind blow against him. He assumed it was because of the month he'd spent locked up underground. He took a couple small steps forward then crouched down and felt around with his hands. The ground felt pretty solid to him. He stood up and walked more confidently, until he suddenly fell.

He whimpered and tried to figure out what happened. Standing up and feeling around, Vaati realized he'd just fallen over a small ledge. To high up for him to climb back, yet not to high to break a bone. He wanted to scream. Why didn't they tell him their house was on a miniature cliff? That would have stopped him from exploring on his own, or at least made him a little more cautious. He preferred exploring the inside of the house.

Vaati considered waiting there until Link and Smith realized he was gone. They'd come looking for him, bring him back in, and scold him for going out again. Then he remembered. He was wanted. What if the nasty princess of darkness came by and dragged him back into the dungeon?

Frightened, Vaati bolted in a random direction, not thinking clearly, and fell of another ledge into a river.

As he surfaced he gasped for air, and eventually, after swimming and, this time, keeping track of where the walls were, Vaati found an area up river where he could climb out.

"Link?" he called "Smith?" No response. They must have still been arguing. Shivering, he tried ringing out his clothes before getting on all fours and feeling around for a good hiding place. He didn't want the princess to find him.

It got cold fast. Vaati wasn't sure how safe his hiding spot was. Not being able to see, it was hard to guess how visible he was, but he was willing to bet it was night, which had to help.

It was horribly uncomfortable. Vaati longed for the warmth of the bed Link and Smith had given him, in spite of the terrible things he'd apparently done for who knows what reason.

He curled up and shivered. He didn't hear anyone around, but called out again "LINK? SMITH?" No response "…please…?"

XXXXX

Link and Smith wandered through the forest "I can't believe you let him out!"

"You're the adult! It's your job" Link protested

"What if he got his memories back?"

"Zelda would know five days ahead of time. She'd be bugging me nonstop to help her find him"

"Then he's in even more danger. You're the one who was so determined to rescue him"

Link sighed "Here. How about this. I'll go to the castle and see if they found him. If they did, I'll break him out again. You search down by the river. We haven't looked there yet. Once we're done, we'll meet up at the house and if neither of us found him I'll go to the forest and you head for the swamp"

Smith nodded and Link ran off "Send an old man to the swamp, ay?" he said to himself before heading to the river.

"Vaati?" he called out, no response. He followed the river north "Vaati?"

"Smith?" He heard a small voice call out. It was across the river, and sounded really muffled.

Smith quickly crossed the bridge and climbed down a ledge to the area where he'd heard the voice "Vaati, are you down here?"

"Smith…" He saw Vaati crawl out of a ditch hidden by a few thick shrubs. Not a bad hiding spot, especially considering that a blind boy had managed to use it. At least he seemed to have some sense to him.

Smith helped Vaati stand up. He'd just barely finished brushing a bit of dust of the boys shoulder before Vaati suddenly buried his face in Smith's chest and sobbed "I don't want to go outside anymore!" he said "I don't want to"

Smith patted Vaati's back "Come on. It's not that bad, you'll just need someone with you"

"I hate it" Vaati whispered "I hate being blind. The last time I was outside I could get around just fine, even though I was really injured. I can't see anything. I don't know where I'm going. _I wish the princess would die for doing this to me"_

Smith shook his head, not speaking Minish, and pushed the boy away from his chest "You must be tired. Let's get you home"

Vaati nodded. Unlike when Link had rescued him, he wasn't carried. Smith led him along, keeping a tight grip on his arm, and warned him when ever there were stairs of her was nearing a ledge.

Finally, Vaati was safely back inside where he was led into the bathroom to wash up.

Link returned while Vaati was doing this "Grandpa, he wasn't there"

"Good"

"Did you have any luck?"

"I found him by the river, a little north of here. My guess is he fell of the ledge leading into the river and after finding dry land, wasn't to keen on trying to explore anymore. Must have been scary for him. He says he doesn't want to go outside anymore"

The door to the bathroom opened and Vaati came out. The pajamas he'd been given were worn backward, but otherwise he'd done a pretty good job of dressing himself.

"Hey, Vaati"

Vaati smiled "Link. I'm sorry I-"

The front door was thrown open. Smith quickly shoved Vaati into the bathroom and went in himself, locking the door behind him.

Zelda rushed in "Link, this is an emergency! We need to find Vaati **now**!"

"How bad can it be? He's an amnesiac, remember?"

"Not for much longer" Zelda hissed "Now come on!" She dragged Link out, not giving him a chance to protest.


	7. Chapter 7

**Azure-Link**-(_gasp_) AZURE-LINK SAID A BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD WORD!

**Fiddle Tia**-Or will it...?

**Jane O'Callaghan**-It was interesting before?

**FeatherFurr**- :)

**marium**-Er, you'll have to wait another chapter for Zelda's expresion

**Chapter 7**

"Were did Link go?"

The question surprised Smith. He hadn't expected Vaati to notice his grandson's absence, even though it had been several days "He's not here right now"

"I **know** that. Where is he"

"He went off to look for you"

"But I'm **here**" Vaati said, growing frustrated with the poor communication between the two of them.

"He's pretending to be looking for you so that Zelda won't suspect that we're hiding you here" Smith said "She thinks your outside, so he's pretending to be looking for you outside"

Vaati scowled "Well, it's boring without him. You spend a lot of time in the heat and don't talk to me unless I talk to you"

'The heat' was what Vaati called the area where Smith forged his swords. Unable to see he simply described it by temperature.

Smith shook his head. With Link, it meant that the conversation was over. With a blind boy who barely knew him it didn't even happen "Play a game with me"

"I'm busy"

"But it's so boring!" Vaati whined "There has to be **something** here that won't hurt me if I touch it. Something entertaining, since you obviously don't fit into either category"

"You never complained about being bored before"

"That's because Link was here" Vaati whined "Without Link here it's… BORING!"

Smith smacked Vaati, which put him in a minor state of shock "I'm busy! I get the point, you're bored, now stop bothering me!"

Vaati ran away sobbing. He 'saw' Smith and Link as his barriers. People who were kind to him, and protected him from the cruel world outside that hated him for reasons he didn't quite understand. That Smith would attack him made everything confusing. Maybe he'd been wrong? If no one was protecting him from the outside, then what was the point of trying to hide from it?

Vaati shook his head, and ran out the front door.

He was a little more careful this time, now that he knew the house was on a ledge, but he still fell off. Though he managed to catch himself. Brushing dirt of the areas where he knew it was Vaati felt around and eventually decided to go in the opposite direction of the river he fell into last time.

He didn't expect, or **want,** to be found. Link and Smith hated him. That's why Link left, and why Smith hit him, and Link was the person who'd been attacking him when he first woke up too! Link had even been the one who dragged him all the way to the prison where he'd been abused and cripple!

Vaati sighed. He wished he knew who he was. Maybe his old self had memorized what the outside looked like, so he'd at least have a bit of an idea where he was going.

His stomach growled, reminding him that he'd left right before lunch. It was nice and warm, but not to hot, like it usually was around noon. Vaati guessed that the sun was setting. He heard a strange noise, and stiffened. It didn't sound like a search party of any type. He couldn't put a name to it. He stayed still and listened to the 'mrooo' sound for a bit longer before moving forward again, and tripping on something before flipping over what he assumed was a fence.

He sat up quickly, but remained motionless, he heard footsteps now.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Was that… Link's voice? He couldn't tell, Link had never sounded that angry. The person's hand grabbed his arm and squeezed it "If Zelda finds you you'll be killed!"

Vaati whimpered "Stop… you're hurting me…"

The grip loosened a little and the person sighed before speaking in a calmer voice that Vaati was now sure was Link's "I'm going to hide you, just follow me"

Vaati ripped his hand away "No! No, I'm sick of listening to you! You just want to do me the same that she did, don't you?"

"What? Vaati, that doesn't make any sense! Now, hurry, or you'll be found" Link gave Vaati no choice, grabbing him even tighter than before and all but dragging him into a nearby cave.

"LET GO OF ME!"

"Shush!" Link covered Vaati's mouth "What's wrong with you? Do you **want** to die? If you do, I'd **gladly** let you back out there where Zelda can have you run through with a million arrows"

Looking down at Vaati, Link immediately felt guilty for saying that. Tears streamed down his face. Feeling terrified and betrayed at the same time, Vaati was just about ready to take up Link's offer when he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. It wasn't like he'd just been stabbed, it felt like it was coming from inside…

Link put his second hand over Vaati's mouth to better muffle the sudden unexpected scream from the Minish boy. It took him a minute to figure out what was happening. The five days were up.

After a minute, Vaati quieted down. Link took a deep breath and removed his hand. If he'd felt bad for yelling at Vaati before, he felt even worse now, there was an almost suicidal look of defeat on the boys face "…Vaati?"

OXXXXXO

**Rune Caster**: Wheeeeeeeee. Vaati got his memories back!

Oh, I'm not sure if the links will work or if fanfic'll block em out or whatever, bur here's the links to a couple Child of Darkness related drawings I did. One's Aki and Ruo, the other has a bit of info on the sequel.

snowcreek./art/Cod-complaints-LitD-spoilers-90847591

snowcreek./art/Aki-and-Ruo-90931127

If they don't work, try going to my howepage then clicking on the pictures.


	8. Chapter 8

**Jane O'Callaghan**-...

**.-MX-.Dark Link**-No! Don't rock! Only rocking chairs are meant for rocking! You're break the seat!

**Fiddle Tia**-Cuzz cliff hangers are fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun when you're not the one who suffers from them

**Azure-Link**-Fine, you implied a bad word. Cheeze...

**FeathFurr**-Ahaha-no

**marium**-hm, not really

**Chapter 8**

"Vaati?"

Vaati looked away.

Link sighed "I'm… I'm going to see if Zelda's still out there"

Walking out side Link saw that Zelda looked so furious her hair might catch on fire. He took a breath and walked up to her "He… wasn't in there"

"It doesn't matter!" she hissed "None of it matters now! What a waist of time!" She turned to all the other guards "Come on! The search is off"

There was a bit of cheering, all silenced by the princesses cold glare. Everyone left.

Once they were all gone Link hurried back into he cave he'd left Vaati in "The coast is clear. It's safe to come out"

"Why?" Vaati asked "You… you knew she was leaving so…"

"So why am I helping you if you remember everything?"

Vaati frown "Not… not everything. Just most of it"

"Well, you're blind. Unless you know a spell that restores vision I don't think there's much damage you can do"

Vaati turned away. The part of him that had wanted his memories back was just fine. The part of him that he'd been before he lost his memories felt like it was going to be sick. How could he let himself be blinded? Sink so low as to need to depend on **Link** for help?

Link either didn't think that Vaati might feel that way, or didn't care. He pulled Vaati up and led him out of the cave "Why did you run away again?"

"Why do you care?" Vaati asked

"Okay… let's try this. Why aren't you just blasting me with magic instead of letting me lead you around?"

Vaati didn't respond, but it was for the reason Link mentioned earlier. He was blind. What else could he do? Besides, for some bizarre reason blasting things no longer sounded appealing.

Vaati was silent the whole way home, letting Link talk non-stop "We can't tell grandpa about this. If he finds out you remember everything he won't let you stay with us anymore. He really only agreed because he thought you weren't a threat. Stop looking so glum. It isn't the end of the world! You can't blame yourself for your actions while you were an amnesiac. You didn't remember whether or not it was something you were okay with. Or is this about your eye sight? You were doing just fine with it before you got your memories back. Why let it get to you now"

Blast something? Not likely. Punch Link in the mouth? Very temping.

Vaati sighed and clung a little tighter to Link. The fact that he'd been helped when he needed it probably had a bit to do with what he saw as a sudden change in personality, but it couldn't explain all of it. What had happened to him?

"…Link?"

"Yeah"

"Do I seem… different to you?"

"As in"

"I don't know" Vaati said softly "Not as evil"

Link nodded "Maybe, though I'd have to spend a little more time with you before I can be sure. I really just assumed it was from loosing your memories"

"I…" Vaati decided that whatever he was about to stay could just keep going unsaid.

XXXXX

Ganondorf angrily punched the person nearest to him, not bothering to see who that was. One short interval of time to work the spell he'd gone to so much trouble to learn, and he'd missed it.

XXXXX

No sooner had Vaati stepped into the room than did Smith rush up and apologize for loosing his temper. Link took this as the reason Vaati had ran away and led the Minish upstairs, saying he needed rest.

Link had Vaati sit down on the bed and stood up next to him "That why, isn't it? You ran away because he yelled at you"

"Actually, because he hit me" Vaati scowled "But, does it really matter that much?"

"Are you not used to being hit? Ezlo certainly seemed like the type to do such a thing"

"Not that I remembered that then" Vaati muttered darkly.

He reached out and grabbed Link's arm, about to say something, but Link flinched and backed away.

"What?" Vaati asked innocently

"Nothing… I… I just hurt it a little while looking around Hyrule"

"Let me see" Vaati leaned over on the bed and reached out for where he guess Link's arm was. Link, humoring him, moved his arm there before Vaati could fall of the bed.

"Don't squeeze it too hard. It really is… is…"

"aruna"

Vaati's hand began to glow, then Link's arm, then both stopped. Vaati sat back down and Link flexed his arm "Much better" he finally declared.

"Thank you" Vaati grinned

"I thought you needed your name to cast magic"

"Really?" Vaati look astonished "The magic Ezlo taught me never required a name. Hylians are so strange"

Link rolled his sleeve up and examined his arm visually "It looks better too" he rolled the sleeve back down "What spell did you use? Hylian magic uses some type of prayer to the godde-"

"I just told your arm to heal" Vaati cut in, not caring about what Link had to say "Minish speak two languages. Kind of like a modern one and an ancient one. The ancient one is used for magic. You just have to put a bit of energy into it when you say" he blushed "I never had much energy, that's why I stole Ezlo's hat" his face returned to normal color "But I only know so much of the language, and it's probably to late for me to learn any more of it"

"That seems inconvenient in fights" Link said

"Well, that's not how it **always** works. You can just think the words too. Saying them out loud just makes it easier. It takes less energy that way. It's a… a… a _shortcut_"

"A what?"

"I don't know how to say that word…"

Link laughed "I'm going to get us something to eat. Zelda was a slave driver. I had no lunch"

Vaati nodded and let Link go, eager for food himself.


	9. Chapter 9

**.-MX-. Dark Link**-Okay! _grabs a pen and starts scribling on computer screen_ Agh! No wait! I need to use the keyboard! Darn!

**Azure-Link**-Um, if Vaati had ever blown up Link than if you looked at the walls you'd see _looks at walls _Ew. never mind...

**marium**-They have to be brave to work as Zelda's guards. The least damage they ever took was when Vaati threw them all out of the way in Minish Cap. Most of them died of brainwashing/Link in Link to the Past, and who knows what happened to them in Ocarina of Time, plus they never get credit for anything (though they never really do anything either)

**Fiddle Tia**-Well, seeing other people suffer is part of the fun of cliff hangers. I think this chapter may end on a cliff hanger too, but I don't relly remember -.-;

**Chapter 9**

Vaati didn't let go of Link's hand for a second as he was led through the woods. He may have had his memories back, but they were powerless against the fear he'd learned from his little misadventure outdoors while he was still suffering from amnesia.

"How much longer?" he asked softly

"Not much. The stumps around here somewhere. You remember the chant right?"

"Yes" Vaati said sourly "Why wouldn't I? It's just 'make me small' in the Minish language"

"Found it. Can you speak with the Minish here?"

"No. I did try once. They use a different dialect than the one back in my world. I can only catch about a third of what they say"

"Yet you know that they can help?"

"Well…" Vaati bit his lip "They probably won't want to help me, but Minish magic is generally stronger than the stuff you Hylians use, and I'm willing to bet that the forest Minish have found a way to combine their magic with yours to make it even better."

"What do you need there help with"

"Remember how I was asking if I seemed as evil as before?"

Link nodded, after a pause, he realized Vaati would require a verbal response "Yes"

"And how Zelda's acting like a bitch"

"The whole kingdom has noticed"

"Well, someone cast a transfer spell on me"

"A what"

"It's one of the few Hylian spells I know" Vaati explained "It takes one quality or ability from a person and gives it to someone else. In this case, it took some of my negative personality traits and gave them to (if I had to guess) Zelda. I'm hoping that the Minish may know who cast it, to give me a better idea of why?"

"To cause chaos"

"In her position, Zelda is better suited for it" Vaati admitted "But I doubt that's it. This person took advantage of the mental shock from the moment I lost my memory to cast the spell around several magic defenses I have up at all times. And I felt something similar try to affect me when I got my memories back, but my defenses blocked it."

"And this concerns me, how?"

"Someone tried to transfer my magic directly from me to them, but I stopped it and put up another defense without checking who. If I had to guess, they're using the princess as a roundabout way of getting my magic"

"I thought they took your evil"

"Zelda's a lot more likely to be concerned about a sudden gain of power if she's a goody two shoes. If she's evil she won't think much of it. Plus, if they take my magic from her, they also get her piece of the Triforce."

"That wouldn't be good"

"No. It wouldn't. And I want to keep my magic. Which is why I want to find this person"

"Here's the stump"

"Help me up"

Link climbed onto the stump before lifting Vaati up, wrapping his arms around the Minish boy to make sure he didn't fall while activating the portal.

He found it hard to believe the long chant really only meant 'make me small'. Vaati must have taken a full minute of talking in his old language to get the portal to shrink them down to the necessary size.

Vaati clutched Link's hand even tighter as the Minish sized hero led him through the forest now. As a Minish, he'd had it burned into his brain that the world was one big danger. Once he'd become Hylian sized he'd learned to ignore this, but now that he was his original height the outdoors seemed even more terrifying as this mentality returned.

Choosing not to point out Vaati's obvious terror, Link helped the blind boy onto one of the floating lilies that carried them to the village.

"Why is it wet?"

"Just don't move. I don't know how to swim, and I don't think your ability to will do you much good if you don't know where to go"

Vaati clutched Link even tighter "Stop it!" he cried "You're **trying** to scare me"

"They say it's the best way to keep children in line"

"I'm not a kid!"

"If you're not an adult, you're a child. Now stay still"

Vaati scowled, infuriated by this. He could easily use his magic to get back at Link for taking advantage of his situation, even if it was only something petty, but he didn't want to jeopardize his ability to stay in Link's home. Living on his own with no eye sight was too risky, and he doubted that there were many other people willing to grant him hospitality. Maybe this was what Ezlo had meant when he told him 'crime never pays' back when he was a little kid.

"Here we go" Vaati felt Link shove him onto much more solid (and drier) ground. He went stiff as he couldn't feel his guide for a few seconds, relaxing again once Link hopped off the lily they'd rode on and grabbed his arm.

"You've gotten a lot calmer around me. I'm getting a real kick out of trying to imagine how this scene would have played out a few months ago"

"That's just-"

"That transfer spell?"

"The time I spent living with you" Vaati corrected, reaching out and grabbing a giant blade of grass "It's made me used to being around the person whose come closest to killing me. Hey, you know, when I was really little I'd always get lost if I wandered in to areas with grass in them. I bet it'd be even worse now"

Link didn't bother to scold Vaati for his obvious attempt at a change of topic, playing along instead "I think that's why there's a path leading up to the village. Come on"

Link yanked Vaati forward, turned and froze. He had just learned that Minish actually did have weapons. It would have been an interesting discovery-if all the sharp objects in the Minish village weren't pointed at him.

OXXXXXO

**Rune Caster**: Okay, so I was listening to Faith Hill, which I haven't done in at least a year, and I was in total shock. One of her songs fit perfectly with part of LitD (Which is the sequel to CoD for those of you who read my other fanfics)! I stuck it in the first chapter it applies to. That's right, I'm already working on that story, but you have to wait. MWAHAHAHAHA


	10. Chapter 10

For this chapter we have a new language…

"other Minish"

**.-MX-.Dark Link**-I can't wait to post LitD, but I've learned that having multiple stories going at once is a awful, horrible, _terrible_ idea.

**Fiddle Tia**-HAVE you ever reviewed while signed in before?

**marium**-A right so and so. That's a funny way to put it.

**Azure-Link**-Astralstonekeeper thought of it actually. First time anyone ever caught the little hints I dropped about why someone was doing this or why that was happening. As for the weapons... well, let's asume they were made at the last minute when Vaati was sited :P

**Chapter 10**

"W-wait! What's going on?" Link took a step back, bumping into Vaati.

"You have the Minish traitor with you. Have you come to hand him over?"

Vaati's ears twitched and he turned his head in the general direction Link was in "What's going on, Link? What are they saying?"

"Don't you… Oh yeah" Link remembered the answer before asking the question. The Minish dialect Vaati used was the same as Ezlo's, and Ezlo had struggled to understand the Minish in Hyrule before Link had eaten the nut. Suddenly Link wondered why Ezlo had understood the second form of Minish when only Link had eaten the nut (Rune Caster: Seriously. How?)

Link cleared his throat and looked up at the Minish "F-for the time being" he swallowed, gathering his courage. It was difficult to speak with a million little spears pointed at him, even if they were made out of twigs and pebbles and tied together with bits of grass. "For the time being, Vaati is staying with me. He's currently not seeking to cause any harm. We're only here for a bit of information"

"He's a traitor" one Minish called, prodding Vaati a little with his weapon.

"Um…" Vaati grabbed Link's tunic "What are they saying?"

Link was willing to bet Vaati had a decent idea, as there was a hint of panic in his voice, but spoke anyway "They're calling you a traitor, they want me to hand you over. What should I tell them"

"I mean them no harm"

"I already said that"

"Tell them what happened and that I just want some info on a spell" Vaati said irritably.

After a lengthy explanation about amnesia, blindness, torture, and a variety of other things, most of the Minish lowered their weapons. They'd met Link before and had no reason not to believe him. Several still didn't trust Vaati, and now though Link had teamed up with him.

The village elder emerged from the crowd, pushing a spear down as he went "Link, if your story is true, what are you two doing here?"

"Uh-" Link turned to Vaati "What do you want?"

"Someone cast a transfer spell between me and Zelda. I want to know if they know who"

"Vaati was hoping you had caught someone trying to cast a transfer spell"

"I understand Hylian" the elder grinned "As the mountain Minish are often mining, and the town Minish do little but indulge themselves, we do in fact have-"

One of the Minish still wielding a weapon prodded Vaati again "_THE NEXT PERSON TO TOUCH ME WITH ONE OF THOSE STUPID THINGS GETS BLOWN UP!!_" The mage screamed.

"Er… what did he say?" the elder asked.

"Dunno. I can only speak your form of Minish." Link shrugged "I don't think it was good though. So do you know who cast the spell?"

"Well…" the elder cast an uneasy glance at Vaati "As I was… saying… Us forest Minish have taken it upon ourselves to keep an eye on the use of magic within this land. It's a very boring job. Most Hylian magic is so weak we don't even bother recording it." He sighed before continuing "I do believe we have record of a successful transfer spell taking place almost two months ago, and a failed attempt from earlier this week."

"They say they detected someone using it" Link told Vaati quickly before turning back to the elder "Do you know who-hey… if you can speak Hylian, why don't you?"

"I like to see the idiot depend on someone for translating"

"Tell him I understand some of what he says, and if he calls me that again-" Vaati began, sounding irritated.

Fortunately, Link cut him off "Tell him yourself, he understands Hylian"

Vaati scowled and turned away, growling at someone who was bold enough to prod him again. The spear went up in flames.

The elder coughed "Yes… well… we'd gladly let you look at the records"

"Do Minish write in a different language?"

"Oops. That's right, the nut only allows you to understand and speak the same as us, it doesn't spill over to reading and writing, does it?" The elder chuckled "Very well, both spells was cast by a male Gerudo. We failed to find who they intended to transfer from, but they transferred it to your princess."

"Do you know what they transferred?"

"The first time it was desire, immorality, and senselessness" the elder shrugged "But we wouldn't be able to tell the second time, since the spell failed."

"Thank you" Link bowed before grabbing Vaati's hand and dragging him away

"Hey, what are you-ow-Link stop! What-oof-Link?"

"Just don't talk until we're far enough away for you to not offend them" Link told him, turning to wave to the elder as he left.

OXXXXXO

Rune Caster: The Elder can't really speak Hylian in the game, I just put that there as a filler.


	11. Chapter 11

**Fiddle Tia**-You have stories?!

**Azure-Link**-Are you wrong? The answer is no.

**FeatherFurr**-hmm... maybe...

**Astral S. Kepeire**-Don't worry. I recognize you.

**marium**-Well, that aren't to many male Gerudo...

**Chapter 11**

Vaati lay in the makeshift bed and contemplated two things. The first was what info Link had received from the village elder, as well as all he already knew and had told Vaati about the man called Ganondorf. The second was how uncomfortable the makeshift bed was compared to Link's. He'd been forced to switch to it now that he was healthy enough to be up and about.

In all seriousness though, the Gerudo sounded worrisome. Vaati had recently made the discovery-recently as in right before loosing his memories-that the light force was just a cheep Minish made imitation of the Triforce. This didn't mean the light force was nothing, it was still way more powerful than he was, it just wasn't much compared to the Triforce. And if Ganondorf had a part of the Triforce he probably couldn't compete with him. Not without Link's part of the Triforce.

After much internal debate Vaati had decided that rather than take Link's piece, he'd just see about getting Link to fight along side him should he choose to face Ganondorf. It was almost as good, better if even with the Triforce's power he couldn't cure his blindness. And it didn't jeopardize his chances of getting to stay in Link's home.

The sound of footsteps stirred him from his thoughts and he sat up. They were to heavy to be Link's… "Smith?"

"I heard you were outside earlier today" Smith's voice rang. Vaati guessed he was actually standing on the stairs rather than in the bedroom "How did it go"

"It wasn't that bad" Vaati tried his very hardest to sound innocent "Link was with me the whole time so I didn't get to scared" That was a flat out lie. Link had gone out of his way to frighten him.

"That's good. Anyway we're-"

"Augh!" Vaati felt something shoot through him. He fell forward shivering.

"Vaati!"

"Ah-ah I'm okay" Vaati pushed himself back up. He could already feel himself covered in sweat "I-it just lasted a second. I'm fine, see?" He smiled up at where he guessed Smith was, trying to stop shivering.

"I'm a little to the left" Smith laughed slightly at how Vaati had lost track of where he was "What happened"

"I don't know. Something just hurt for a little while" Vaati cocked his head slightly to make himself look that much sweeter "It's gone now, though. So it isn't a problem, right?"

"Er… I'll go ask Link about it"

Vaati waited patiently for Link to come upstairs after Smith left. Being Ezlo's apprentice had taught him to be very, very, **very** patient. Finally, Link came up, shooing his grandfather away as he went. "Are you okay? What happened. Did someone try that transfer spell on you again?"

"No. Now shut up and listen" Vaati ordered "It was just an echo. Some-"

"A what?"

"I said shut up and listen" Vaati narrowed his unseeing eyes in Link's direction "If I had to guess, Ganondorf tried out that transfer spell on Zelda without waiting to use it properly on me (must have given up). Some sort of large power was definitely just shifted because it takes a lot of energy being used for a mage who isn't in the area near by to feel it, and even then I have barriers up to keep echoes from effecting me."

"So… Ganondorf got another part of the Triforce?"

"Most likely."

"Great" Link muttered, slumping down on one of the beds "Now what? Ask Zelda to help us get it back?"

"Zelda's probably useless without it" Vaati said bluntly "Besides, I don't think I could be in the same room with her without beating the living day light out of her"

"You do know she was using **your** evil when she did all those horrible things to you, don't you"

"That doesn't mean I still can't be mad at her" Vaati replied, crossing his arms.

"It…" Link sighed "Never mind. I'm going to go check up on her"

Well wash off before talking to me when you get back. I'd hate to get infected because you feel the need to make sure **she**'s okay" Vaati replied as Link left.

OXXXXXO

**Rune Caster**: I spent forever thinking, how can I change scenes after a remark like that. In the end I decided, I won't. Ha.


	12. Chapter 12

**Fiddle Tia**-... no idea what I was talking to you about earlier... -.-

**Tragic Snogbird of Eddis**-I know. Isn't just the cutest most lovable, hugable, cuddly, uddly thing you've ever seen? (Hugs Vaati and gets turned to stone)

**marium**-...

**Azure-Link**-There's nothing like a good ol' double standard.

**Astral S. Kepeire**-Thank you

**Silver Volken Rave**-No

**Chapter 12**

"Look, I'm sorry…" no response "well you can't be to mad at me. I was doing it with what's supposed to be **your** personality…" still no answer "_You talk back when a lady is talking to you, you shrimp sized, stuck up, crippled, trouble making, son of a-_"

"That's enough-Zelda" Link held the princess back, who was now struggling to get to Vaati, who had yet to acknowledge the princesses presence.

"Link, make him respond!" Zelda whined

"No. He'll respond when he feels like it" Link told her "Now we need to talk. Do you still have your piece of the triforce?"

"No"

"How about the bit of light force Vaati didn't take?"

"Yes. Ganondorf didn't know about that"

"Any ideas on what to do?"

"If we used the spell he used on me-"

"That won't work. He actually knows about the spell, and with the triforce of wisdom he'll know how to block it" Vaati spoke up.

"Oh, then what do you suggest?" Zelda asked

"That we do nothing"

"Could you repeat that?" Link asked

"Ganondorf wants the whole triforce, right?" Vaati asked "So he'll come for Link's piece too. I already set up every magical protection I know around him so Ganondorf will have to come in person"

"Uh-huh… and then?" Link asked

"I don't know. You beat him like you always do or something"

"But he has to pieces of the triforce" Zelda pointed out

"True… we'll need something to serve as a distraction long enough for me to fix that…" Vaati said.

"When you say fix it, you mean return the triforce to me, right?"

"Maybe"

"What'll it take to make sure you don't steal it?"

"Know any spells that cure blindness?"

"One…" Zelda said thoughtfully "but I can't cast it without magic. Why can't you just tell me what you want?"

"Are you farmiliar with the phrase 'dumb blond'?"

"No, why?"

"Just asking. If I can get the triforce back, I'll give it to you if you give me back my eyesight"

"Deal"

OXXXXXO

**Rune Caster**: …

…

…

Laziness is kicking in now. That's not the cause of the late update, it's just why I'm stopping right here. This chapter sucks anyway.

Our computer broke, then I was sick when it finally got fixed, then I had to spend a couple nights at our grandparents so this chapter was a lot later than it would have been. Sorry.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

**Rune Caster: **I choose to be superstitious and skip chapter 13 all together (urg, there's 13 members on my swim team this year too…)

So today, I'm just going to put in fillers and a dumb conversation between me and the other characters _watches all the readers flee_

**Vaati**: Told you this was a bad idea

**Rune Caster:** Oh, go mope in a corner about being blind

Anyway, I'd like to take this time to tell you that no OCs in my fanfics are Mary sues. However, unless I tell you they aren't, assume anyone named "Sennara" "Kili" "Oceana" "Sharron" and possibly "Aatrex" is, even though Aatrex is what I usually name male characters

**Aatrex**: Yeah, speaking of me and Senna, when are you gonna get back to work on the plot to "Rinn"?

**Sharron**: And uh, since when was I a mary sue? I'm not giggly or bubbly or anything. I just bully people.

**Rune Caster**:… Shut up and get the -beep- outta my fanfics.

Anyway, now that my computers working again, I've got like, a bajillion yu-gi-oh fanfics I need to update (this is why you only take on one project at a time) but lucky you guys, I've decided to ramble on about nothing in particular to you instead.

**Vaati**: Yeah, lucky us _rolls unseeing eyes_

**Rune Caster**: Sharron…

**Sharron:** With pleasure. _Blast Vaati into a wall and turns him to stone_ HOW DO YA LIKE A TASTE OF YOUR OWN MEDICINE LOSER!?

**Rune Caster**: Since they're here, let me introduce you to all my mary-sues. First, my oldest, most beloved, and best known by the rest of my family all time favorite… Sennara (Senna) Uskashkie.

**Senna**: HI EVERYBODY!! _Waves hand vigorously_

**Rune Caster**: Even though this is boring the socks off of you let me described her. Senna is the biggest mary-sue of the lot. She's very hyper, which makes her act bubbly most of the time, she's good with magic, but can't do much past shoot bolts of energy and (_Cough_)reversingfastforwardingandfreezingtime(_cough_). Even though her high energy level makes her seem like a cheerful person, she's very quick to get cross. And when she's cross, you'll see that what she lacks in variety for her magic she makes up for in very acrobatic combat skills. And don't get her mad, once. She holds grudges. You can be on her bad list for years! :P

**Senna**: _bats silver eyes sweetly and straitens out plain brown hair_

**Rune Caster: **Next is Aatrex

**Aatrex**:…

**Rune Caster:** Aatrex was originally made as an obsessive friend of Senna's, having the same personality as her and even looking like a male version of her. Over time, he slowly evolved to the point where he's his own person (or as much of one as a fictional character can be). Now he's a somewhat anti-social person. In the manga idea he's in he's actually not a human, just very human like. Because of a bad past experience he doesn't have much trust in humans, but because of the way he's brought up he also doesn't trust other 'monsters' like him. If you wanna know what he looks like, the host character in my Survivor Nintendo character (deviantart) is based off of him in apearance. His fighting style isn't nearly as planned out as Senna's, consiting more of impulsive slugging. He can also use magic, but he needs to give up some of his own blood and be in contact with someone elses. Now that I think about it, he's the most violent of all my characters, both in personality and background…

**Aatrex**: Is there something wrong with that? _Narrows golden eyes and brushes bright orange bangs out of his face_

**Rune Caster**: Nope _sweat drops_ _while drooling slightly_ Next up… _scoots away from Aatrex_ Would be Kili, but I've never actually used a mary-sue with that name. On to Oceana.

**Oceana**: Hi! hihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihi!

**Rune Caster**: Oceana is a slightly older version of Senna _Mainly the parts of her I decided I didn't like_ I used her in a yu-gi-oh fanfics as Kaiba's childhood who he forgets so she annoys the -beeping beep- out of him to get her revenge XD

Note that both Oceana and Senna are vengeful

Last is Sharron Ren

**Sharron: **I told you to leave me out of this!

**Rune Caster**: I like to think of her as the purest form of me (Note that I have the internet referring to me by her name). Sharron's a young spell caster prodigy in one of my stories, but everything else about her (except her unnatural hair) is essentially something from me, even her eyes. Sharron is, for lack of a better description, every part of me that gets me in trouble or that I try to keep inside. She's rude, bossy, and a little violent when she doesn't get her way. She's like the me I wish I could be without getting all computer privliges takes away for life XP

**Sharron**: What's so unnatural about my hair?

**Link**: Nothing, unless that's not dye and it actually grows out in two different colors

**Sharron**: You think mine's weird? My sisters hair grows out BLUE! And what about Kaiba?

**Everyone: **_Looks over at Kaiba_

**Vaati**: Shouldn't he be in the Yugioh fandom?

**Oceana**: Ooo! Me! I dragged him here!

**Kaiba**: What's wrong with my hair?

**Sharron**: It's GREEN!

**Rune Caster**:To those of you who don't know or care about yugioh enough/at all, Kaiba had green hair in the original series that was only aired in Japan. It's implied that his little brother's hair had very dark green but we'll never know for sure. The only person with a less decided coloring that Kaiba was Bakura, who throughout Season 0 (the Japanese only seaon) the manga, and all the seasons showed in America went through two different hair colors (Blue and white) and three different colors for his eyes (green blue and brown)

**Vaati**: How does any of this have to do with this fanfics?

**Rune Caster**: I don't think I said it did…

**Zelda**: Um… all the readers left in the middle of the first paragraph

**Rune Caster**: Oh well. I've got one last thing to say to all the people who gave up on reading this before I go. WATCH YUGIOH THE ABRIDGED SERIES! It doesn't matter if you hate the show. The abridged series makes fun of the plot and all the characters. It's hilarious. Watch, here's a good clip.

**Yami Bakura**: _Uses shadow magic to tie the bad guys up in chains  
_**Tristan**: Bakura, I didn't know you were Spiderman!  
**Yami Bakura**: That's because I'm not…  
**Tristan:** You mean… you're not Spiderman?  
**Yami Bakura**: N-…  
**Tristan**: _Looks sad  
_**Yami Bakura**: Okay, yes. I'm Spiderman. Happy?  
**Tristan**: Hurray! I'm friends with Spiderman!

**Rune caster:** Ah… I love that scene…


	14. Chapter 14

**chapter 12 responses**

**Fiddle Tia**-I did?

**fleets**-That's exactly what I was thinking. (It's mentioned in this chapter, actually) Btw, can't wait for the next chapter of Beyond Centuries :P

**Astral S. Kepire**-I'm sorry, did I spell your name right? It's easier to spell on deviantart...

**marium**-Um... I felt fine by the time I updated, cuzz there was a grandparents trip between me getting sick and me updating. Thank you for your concern though.

**Azure-link**-Ah, but you forget, Ganondorf stole Vaati's evil.

**Reily96**-Well I'm a gramar hater. Still, at least it's not to bad. There's this one mpreg I tried reading in the yu-gi-oh fandom, cuzz it's the only non-discontinued story where Malik get's knocked up (actually, I did one where he got pregnant, but he wasn't the main character. It's the only one where Malik's pregnant and the main character). It had a good plot, but the girl writing it didn't understand punctuation, capitalization, nouns, verbs, or adjectives...

**chapter 13 responses**

**Fiddle Tia**-What part

**Astral S. Kepiere**- :)

**zure-link**-Really

**marium**-I'm proof that the black cat thing isn't true. I've lived with one for 7 years. I've had some pretty bad friday 13ths though...

**Diablo1123**-That's cuzz last story I wrote I had an idea for how to start chapter 13. This time I was like "Hm... how to start this... I can't come up with anything. I wonder if it's cuzz it's the 13th chapter Hahaha XD... oO what if it is?"

**Chapter 14**

Link paced back and forth in the selected area near Lake Hylia. This was the location that they'd selected as the one where there would be the least bystanders who could get hurt.

"Stop moving!" Vaati snapped. Link froze for a second and looked at Vaati. The Minish boy looked like he was meditating. His legs were folded and he sat in the shallow water with his eyes closed

"Um… Vaati?"

"Shh!" Vaati hissed. Link stood there uncomfortably for a second before yelping and falling over when Vaati's eyes snapped open. They'd always looked unusual, but now they looked like they were glowing. They returned to there normal washed out look within seconds though "Why'd you do that?" Vaati demanded, standing up "You broke my concentration!"

"For what?"

"I-I" Vaati blushed "Never mind. It's not important"

"It looked like some sort of spell, but without my own magic I couldn't be sure" Zelda said, sitting by the tent. No one bothered to mention that Ganondorf had stolen her brains along with her magic.

"Well, if it's not important why'd you get so upset over it. What was it?"

"I…" Vaati turned away, beet red "Y-You know how Keese don't actually see? They make sounds and there hearing is so good that they can tell where everything is by listening to hear where sound sort of… bounces off of things?" Link nodded, even though Vaati couldn't see it and he didn't really know or understand anything the mage was saying "I… I was trying to do that with magic"

"That's not so bad" Link said "But why do it in the water?"

"The water's always moving slightly. It's good to practice detecting movement rather than just objects, but I'm not good enough at it yet to catch large movements like the ones you were making"

"So you've been practicing?"

"Since we started camping here" Vaati admitted.

Link whistled, impressed with Vaati's determination to master his newest magical spell. They'd been camping out for nearly a month now (Zelda had faked being kidnapped and Link had lied and said he was helping Vaati get to better know the outdoors). Zelda had been whining that she wanted to go home for a while, but Link was set on not to go home until Ganondorf was stopped, and having nothing but a cloth between him and the outdoors at best had really helped Vaati get over his fear.

Whether the Minish had wanted to get over it or not.

Vaati's ears twitched slightly and he looked around "Do you hear something?"

"It probably isn't what you-"

"Sh" Vaati stepped out of the shallow water, focusing on a patch of woods "Someone's in there"

"So you can here me, can you?" A voice called out before everything went dark.

OXXXXXO

**Rune Caster**: Next chapter is the last one (so I've planned) but there might be an epilogue also.

_All_ _2 of the CoD fans cheer_

Anyway, this means that LitD (Light in the Dark) the sequel to CoD should be posted by the end of the week… assuming I don't quit swimming and get banned from computer for a month. Seriously, it may happen. My couch upset me so bad today it took **3** root beers, a slushy, and 10 Gil Quest jokes to cheer me up. I think she likes trying to make me cry…

Anyway, anyone wanna guess what happens next?


	15. Chapter 15

**Diablo1123**-What?

**AStral S. Kepeire**-Not quite as short.

**Silver Volken Raven**-Dark isn't in this fic (_Dark goes of to sit in a corner and feel lonely_) sorry.

**Reily96**-fanfics are my best friend... Keeseman... haha

**marium**-Will do

**.-MX-.Dark Link**-Sonar! I knew it had a name.

**MAL-sama**-On the bright side, you don't have to wait days on end for updates a million times (if what I just said made any sense.

**Fiddle Tia**-Light in the Dark sounds cooler.

**VirgoStargirl**- XP

**Azure-Link**-Really? I love righting cliff hangers.

**fleets**-It is funny, isn't it?

**morferedir**-Er... no. That's not what I had in mind...

**Chapter 15**

"What's going on! I can't see a thing!" Zelda cried. She spun around, hoping the darkness didn't cover everything. It did "Link? Vaati? Who's-" Something hit her and she fell unconscious.

"Zelda?" Link called out.

"Shut up!" Vaati snapped.

Link felt something grab his shoulder and reached back to fell that whatever had gotten him was to short to reach "Vaati, is that you?"

"Yes, now be quiet" Vaati growled. Link did as he was told.

He had to remain quiet for what seemed like ages. The blind mage was breathing so softly he couldn't even hear it, and without anything to her or say time seemed to pass painfully slowly. He was so surprised when Vaati suddenly yelled "Swing left!" that he swung his sword and didn't even think to ask why.

The darkness dissipated. Link could now see his sword in Ganondorf's side. Zelda was unconscious in the Gerudo's other arm.

"Hmph" Ganondorf pushed the sword away and stepped back "I suppose the perk of being blind would be that that spell has no affect on you, Vaati. Now you're-" Vaati blasted Ganondorf with a ball of ice "…dead" the Gerudo finished, raising his sword as he said so.

Link shoved Vaati in one direction and jumped to the other so Ganondorf's sword would miss.

Vaati hit the ground a little harder than Link had been hoping he would, winding the Minish boy. Ganondorf noticed this and lifted his sword again "Vaati, run!" Link called before talking Ganondorf. The man barely flinched. Vaati managed to get up on his feet again and run away from the source of noise, he didn't go far though, for fear of running into something.

"Link? Where are you?"

"Here?"

"Where's the water?"

It seemed like an odd question, but Link answered anyway as Ganondorf lifted him up by the leg "The right. It's to your right"

"Brace yourself" Vaati held a hand out in the direction of the water, and the liquid rose up. Link and Ganondorf both watched in mild amazement as it began to speed toward them. Figuring there was more to this than it looked like, Link swung out of the way of the water. Ganondorf stood there, amused by the idea that water would harm him… until it turned to faster moving and very sharp looking ice. The Gerudo had only enough time to get his more vital organs out of the way of the attack, and his left arm ended up taking a serious blow.

Not to big a deal, though. He wielded his sword with his right hand anyway.

"Vaati, next time try not to get me killed too"

"I told you to brace yourself" Vaati defended "Besides, I don't think I hit you… Hang on" he tried the spell again. This time Ganondorf let go of Link in order to dodge.

Link got up the second he hit the floor, grabbing his sword and holding it up defensivly "No more spells"

"But-"

"No"

Vaati scowled and took a deep breath, falling into a meditative state. Link figured it was best to ignore this while fighting Ganondorf. The last thing he needed was to get distracted in a life or death fight.

Ganondorf charged at him. Link sidestepped and swung his sword. As it connected with the Gerudo's side something unexpected happened. The sword glowed a faint green and the wind picked up at a break neck speed right around it, causing several scratches to appear around the initial gash.

Link turned and looked back at Vaati grinning "That's the sort of spell that's more useful!"

"Glad I could help" Vaati replied, coming out of his semi-meditation for a moment to reply.

The wind, though adding to the damage a little, wasn't much of an advantage, if at all. Ganondorf still had two pieces of the triforce. **That** was a **huge** advantage.

Ganondorf swung his sword straight down at Link with all his might. Link knew it was over. No time to dodge. No time to parry. He shut his eyes and heard a metallic sound similar to a sword hitting a metal wall. Opening his eyes, he saw a protective shield or magic around him.

"You know, Vaati, you're actually pretty handy to have around"

No response.

"Vaati?" Link looked back, the mage had lost consciousness.

"Poor little boy must have hit his limit." Ganondorf laughed "I bet he spent most of his energy with his little experimenting earlier. Now it's only a matter of time before his spell wears off and you're finished!"

"Not if I beat you before that!"

XXXXX the following has been removed because RC hates writing/reading sword fights

"Die!" Link swung his sword, hitting Ganondorf square in the chest, knocking him out as blood burst from the wound. Link set his sword down, breathing heavily and hurrying over to the unconscious mage.

Vaati whimpered slightly as Link lifted him into a sitting position "Ezlo?"

"Guess again" Link held Vaati up "Ganondorf's down. Use the transfer spell-fast"

Vaati did something along the lines of a half nod and help his hand out toward Ganondorf. Whatever he said next was gibberish to Link, but it must have been the right spell because a flash of light later Zelda was awake and examining the back of her hand.

"My piece of the triforce is back!" she smiled and looked around, spotting Vaati she jumped down and ran over to him "It wouldn't be right to not keep my promise. Let me see…"

XXXXX

"It sure was nice of grandpa to let you stay after you got your vision back"

"He thinks I still have amnesia" Vaati replied. He didn't look at Link as he spoke though, he was to busy enjoying his ability to read again.

"And I was actually a little surprised you just let Zelda have her piece of the triforce back"

"No problem"

"I mean, you could have easily taken it and cured yourself on your own" Link pointed out.

"Yeah, but then you might not let me stay here"

"Don't you have your own home?"

"Not since you wrecked my wind tower" Vaati replied, turning a page in his book.

"So you're just fine not having a piece of the triforce?"

"No" Vaati looked up at Link grinning copiously "I'm perfectly fine having a piece, though" he held up his right hand and Link wasn't sure whether to laugh or be worried. The triforce mark was there. The top triangle glowing more brightly than the other two.

OXXXXXO

**Rune Caster**: I didn't rush this too much did I?


End file.
